1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to soil sampling devices, and more particularly, to a soil sampling device that is mounted inside of a vehicle especially adapted to effect the taking of soil samples at multiple locations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the farming industry it is well known to supplement the arable land with fertilizer and other chemical compositions to ensure crop efficacy, disease free crops and pest free crops. The cost of such fertilizers and the like is great due to the large amount of arable land requiring treatment. Due to the cost of such chemicals, it is desirable to determine the amount of fertilizer or other chemical components located in the soil of arable land prior to further treatment. In this way, areas which require greater amounts of fertilizer will become known to the farmer and sufficient quantities may be applied. Likewise, areas which still have sufficient amounts of fertilizer need not be treated. Accurately determining the soil chemistry at specific locations on the farm is a desirable piece of knowledge for the farmer to have.
In the past, fields have been fertilized equally according to standard methodologies such as those put forth by the United States Department of Agriculture. Now, the soil may be sampled according to a specific grid and greater or lesser amounts of fertilizer may be applied where it specifically warranted.
To achieve the foregoing and other advantages, the present invention, briefly described, provides a vehicle mounted soil sampler. The soil sampler is designed to be mounted inside the vehicle proximal the operator. A mounting plate secures the soil sampler to the interior of the vehicle. A opening is provided in the floorboard underneath the soil sampler to permit the soil sampler to leave the vehicle, take a sample, and return to the vehicle with the sample. The soil sampler includes a first hydraulic motor and a second hydraulic motor. The first hydraulic motor is operates a chain drive which moves a guide member in an upward or downward fashion. The guide member is affixed to the auger assembly. The auger assembly includes an auger, a second hydraulic motor which rotates the auger, and a sample chamber. The operator will drive the vehicle to a location where a soil sample is desired to be taken. The first hydraulic motor is actuated, lowering the auger assembly through the floor of the vehicle to the soil surface. The second hydraulic motor rotates the auger, while the action of the first hydraulic motor drives the auger assembly downward, and the auger bites into the soil, taking the sample. The first hydraulic motor is then reversed, bringing the auger back into the sample chamber and then the auger assembly back into the vehicle. The soil sample is retained in the sample chamber. The sample is removed and categorized. The operator would then drive the vehicle to a second sample point and repeat the process. The vehicle may include GPS or other precision locating equipment to permit samples to be taken at precise locations.
The soil sampler is constructed as followed. A mounting plate is secured inside the vehicle. The mounting plate is secured to a generally rectangular elongated hollow element or tube. The tube has a bottom portion and a top portion. The bottom portion is connected to the mounting plate. The top portion includes mounting plenum for mounting a first hydraulic motor. The first hydraulic motor is connected to a top sprocket which resides in a top sprocket housing. A bottom sprocket is located in a bottom sprocket housing located proximal the tube bottom portion. The top sprocket and the bottom sprocket are connected by a travel chain. One portion of the chain resides within the hollow tube and the other portion resides outside the hollow tube. When the first hydraulic motor is actuated, the chain will travel in a first direction.
A traveling rectangular hollow element fits coaxially atop the hollow tube and is secured to the chain by a mounting plate. The mounting plate is further secured to the auger assembly. As the chain moves so does the auger assembly. The traveling element slides atop the hollow tube which acts as a guide member.
The auger assembly includes a second hydraulic motor mounted on a motor mounting plate. The second hydraulic motor is operatively connected to the auger and when actuated causes the auger to rotate. The motor mounting plate is a L-shaped member and is connected to a U-shaped element which is connected to the chain and the traveling member. Both the L-shaped member and the U-shaped member include an aperture to permit the motor shaft and auger to pass through respectively.
A first, second and third guide rod are provided, each with a top element, an intermediate element and a lower element. The upper element of the first, second and third guide rods are slidably disposed in the generally U-shaped element. The first, second and third guide rods are located equidistant from the centrally located auger. The lower elements of the first, second and third guide rods are connected through apertures located on the top portion of the sample basket. The intermediate element of the first, second and third guide rods include shaft collars or stop members located thereon.
The sample basket may be cylindrical or rectangular and has a top portion, a sidewall and a bottom portion. The top portion includes a central aperture to permit the auger to pass there through. The top portion""s diameter is greater than the diameter of the sample basket and has three apertures located on. These apertures are designed to receive the first, second and third guide rods in a secured fashion thereon. The bottom portion includes a central aperture to permit the auger to pass there through. The bottom portion further includes a right side and a left side. The right side is hinged permitting the bottom portion to open in a pivotal fashion about the right side. The left side includes means to secure the bottom portion to the sidewall.
The drive chain is actuated by the first hydraulic motor causing the traveling element to move the auger assembly to the ground sample point. At this point, the second hydraulic motor engages, causing the auger to rotate. The first hydraulic motor drives the auger assembly downward and the auger bites into the earth. This continues as the traveling element is lowered by the first hydraulic motor. Concurrently, the guide rods begin to slide upwardly through the three apertures located on the generally U-shaped element. When the guide rods reach a certain distance, the stop members located on each of the guide rods will coact with the bottom portion of the generally U-shaped element This stops the downward motion of the auger assembly. At this point the first hydraulic motor is reversed, causing the auger to return to inside the sample basket bringing with it the soil sample taken at that location. The second hydraulic motor is disengaged, stopping the rotation of the auger. The first hydraulic motor continues, bringing the auger assembly and sample chamber back into the vehicle. At this point the bottom portion of the sample chamber is opened and the soil sample is removed and cataloged with respect to location, date, current weather conditions etc. The vehicle would then move to a second location and another sample would be taken. The vehicle may be equipped with GPS or other expert systems which would give exact sampling location coordinates.
The samples would then be taken to a laboratory for nutrient analysis and soil pH. The laboratory would recommend which nutrient or combination thereof would be added to the soil at that location. Some of the compositions which may be considered to be added include, but are not limited to, nitrogen, phosphorous, potash, copper, zinc, manganese, and sulfur.
The above brief description sets forth rather broadly the more important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contributions to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood, that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a portable soil sampler which may be mounted in place of a passenger seat in the interior of a vehicle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable soil sampler which may be mounted on the exterior of a vehicle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable soil sampler with two hydraulic motors, one to raise and lower the auger assembly through the floor of the vehicle to the sample point and one to actuate the rotation of the auger to take the soil sample.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable soil sampler with a traveling member affixed intermediate the chain and the auger assembly, the chain moving about an upper and lower sprocket due to the action of one of the hydraulic motors, the motor being reversible, causing the chain and hence the auger assembly to move in an upward and downward direction.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable soil sampler which may quickly and efficiently take multiple soil samples at a plurality of locations without the operator leaving the vehicle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a soil sampler which includes GPS or other precision position acquisition means, to permit the location of the soil sample to be accurately determined.
These together with still other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.